


T-minus 9

by bigblueboxat221b



Series: Speaking in Tongues [14]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Confused John, M/M, Might have skipped some tags because spoilers, Nervous Sherlock, Pop Culture, Sherlock Making An Effort, read the summary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 08:31:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9539846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigblueboxat221b/pseuds/bigblueboxat221b
Summary: How quickly can you figure out what Sherlock's doing, and why?





	

T-minus 9

“Hey! You can’t go in there, that’s out of bounds!” the security guard yelled as Sherlock tried the door of the office.

Sherlock spread his hands open. “Do I look like an out of bounds sort of guy?”

John shook his head in amusement, but followed Sherlock.

 

T-minus 8

Sherlock looked hard at John, then stood suddenly.

“What’s up?” John asked.

“I think we’d better initiate emergency protocol four one six.”

A few minutes later, he thrust a mug of tea at John.

John stared blankly, a sense of familiarity niggling at him.

 

T-minus 7

A piercing noise woke John. Bursting into the sitting room, he saw Sherlock with a number of tools connected to a tangle of wires, a battery, and a small speaker.

“Why the hell are you doing that?”

“What, you’ve never been bored? Never had a long night? Never had a lot of cabinets to put up?”

John muttered an oath and headed back to bed.

 

T-minus 6

“How did this happen?” John asked, tending gently to the rope burns on Sherlock’s palms.

“Sometimes I get swept off my feet,” Sherlock replied, wincing at the sting of antibacterial cream. “By balloons,” he added.

John frowned, his mind working overtime.

 

T-minus 5

“Sherlock, nobody’s seen this guy for over a month. How are you going to find him?” John asked in exasperation.

Grinning smugly, Sherlock replied “Easy. I’ll do a scan for alien tech.”

The response from John was quick and confident. “Finally, a real professional.”

John beamed at Sherlock, at last knowing the game.

 

T-minus 4

There was no stopping Sherlock when he was regaling people with the story of his daring escape.

“The moral of the story is if you're gonna get stuck in a locked room with no escape, get stuck with an ex-time agent and his vortex manipulator.”

John chuckled even though everyone else rolled their eyes.

 

T-minus 3

Sherlock told Sally, “You’d have to ask Captain John.”

“Who?” she asked.

Sherlock sighed. “John Watson, do pay attention.”

“What, you’re calling him Captain John, now?” she smirked.

Sherlock’s voice dripped sarcasm. “Well his name’s John and he’s a Captain…”

“Whatever.”

Sherlock leaned in close. “I think you’re experiencing Captain envy.”

John shot his own smirk at her, and followed Sherlock.

 

T-minus 2

John watched Sherlock try to explain why the maid had been bitter enough to kill her employer.

“Oh! I know what it's like. It's like when you fancy someone, and they don't even know you exist. That's what it’s like.”

The Sergeant left, and John’s quiet voice sounded in Sherlock’s ear. “You too, huh?”

John looked into Sherlock’s knowing face, and smiled.

 

T-minus 1

Watching Greg and Mycroft greet each other affectionately, Sherlock rolled his eyes and spoke loud enough to be overheard. “Aww, sweet, look at those two. How come I never get any of that?”

Greg and Mycroft looked bewildered.

They glanced at John, who was grinning widely. “Buy me a drink first,” he said, teasingly.

Sherlock rolled his eyes. “You’re such hard work.”

Leaning forward, John declared smugly, “But worth it.”

John glanced over and winked at Greg, then burst out laughing.

 

Lift Off

Without warning, Sherlock looked at John. “Shall we have a drink on the balcony?”

John was getting used to this, and he racked his brains for the correct response. “Sure.”

Sherlock was halfway out the morgue door already. He threw over his shoulder, “Bring up the glasses!”

On the roof, John tried to ask about the body they’d just examined, as Sherlock poured champagne, but Sherlock looked at him reprovingly. “I try never to discuss business with a clear head.”

John accepted the champagne and opened his mouth, but Sherlock cut him off. “Do you like Glen Miller?”

Without waiting for a response he pressed play and the strains of “Moonlight Sonata” floated out across the roof of St. Bart’s Hospital.

John grinned and they came together, dancing lazily, drinks in hand, bodies moving in synch.

Sherlock bent his head and murmured, “You just assume I don’t dance.”

John replied immediately, “What, you telling me you do dance?”

“900 years old, me, I’ve been around a bit, I think you can assume at some point I’ve danced.”

John smiled. “Well, I’ve got the moves, but I wouldn’t want to boast.”

“You’ve got the moves? Show me the moves. The world doesn’t end ‘cause the doctor dances.”

John laughed at this, his arms tightening around Sherlock. He took their champagne and placed it on the table, then returned to Sherlock’s arms, raising his face towards the taller man.

“You want moves, Sherlock? I’ll show you moves.”

Looking into Sherlock’s eyes, John went to kiss him, then hesitated, drawing away slightly. He thought for a bit, studying Sherlock’s face, watching the unease build as he waited. Finally, he understood.

“I’m going to make a deduction," John stated carefully.

Sherlock swallowed hard, then whispered hoarsely, “Oh, okay. That’s good.”

“And if my deduction is right you’re gonna be honest and tell me, okay?”

The detective nodded, eyes wide as John drew breath. His eyes never left Sherlock as he said, “You’ve been conditioning me to respond to your Doctor Who quotes so that we could have this conversation.”

Sherlock nodded.

“And you wanted to have this conversation so I’d seduce you.”

Sherlock nodded, looking more apprehensive as John pulled apart his careful plan.

John paused. “If you wanted to have sex with me all you had to do was ask.”

Sherlock nodded again, though his face was crimson, eyes now pressed closed against his mortification.

“I can’t believe you did all this for me,” John whispered, embracing Sherlock and slowly swaying in time to the music. They moved together for long moments, breath mingling and heart beating in time.

John felt Sherlock’s chest rumble, the words quiet in his ear. “I wish I’d never met you, Doctor, I was much better off as a coward.”

John’s reply was immediate and sincere. “You are worth fighting for.”

John kissed Sherlock, then took him home to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> This was super fun to write! My first foray into crossovers (I know, it's not really, but humor me, okay?). Lots of watching of my fave episodes of Who, then fitting them into the Sherlock universe. Bliss.
> 
> In the interest of credit due, the Doctor Who quotes came from the following episodes:  
> The Empty Child (1.09)  
> The Doctor Dances (1.10)  
> Boom Town (1.11)  
> Bad Wolf (1.12)  
> The Sound of Drums (3.12)
> 
> They're by the Doctor (Nine), Rose and Captain Jack "Equal Opportunity Flirt" Harkness. Three of my favourite characters in the Who-niverse.
> 
> There's also a quote from 'The Lying Detective.' Did you find it?
> 
> Oh, and what is he doing in T-minus 7? ; )


End file.
